MONITORING CHILD RIGHTS

MONITORING LEVELS Reports Concluding Observations Alternative Reports NGO’s and NGO’s Coalition Alternative Reports NGO’s and NGO’s Coalition Alternative Reports International organizations, ombudsman, children Alternative Reports International organizations, ombudsman, children

COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD Body of 18 independent experts appointed by the UN General Assembly – Monitors the Convention and two optional protocols) The Committee will soon be able to consider individual complaints by children (Third optional protocol on a Communications Procedure) All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports – Initial Report – in 2 years Regular Report – every 5 year The Committee meets in Geneva and normally holds three sessions per (three-week plenary and a one- week pre-sessional working group)

CRC PROCEDURE State Party Report Alternative Reports International organizations, ombudsman, children Pre-sessional working group UN bodies, specialized agencies, NGO’s ombudsman, children List of Issues To the Government through diplomatic channels Presentation of the Report Open and public meetings to the Committee Concluding Observations Introduction, positive aspects, factors and difficulties impeding the implementation, principal subject for concern, suggestion and recommendation addressed for the State Party.

REPORT - CONTENT a) General measures of implementation (arts. 4, 42 and 44.6); (b) Definition of the child (art. 1); (c) General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12); (d) Civil rights and freedoms (arts. 7, 8, and 37a); (e) Family environment and alternative care (arts. 5, 18.1, 18.2, 9, 10, 27.4, 20, 21, 11, 19, 39 and 25); (f) Basic health and welfare (arts. 6.2, 23, 24, 26, 18.3, 27.1, 27.2 and 27.3); (g) Education, leisure and cultural activities (arts. 28, 29 and 31); (h) Special protection measures: (i) Children in situations of emergency (arts. 22, 38 and 39); (ii) Children in conflict with the law (arts. 40, 37 and 39); (iii) Children in situations of exploitation, including physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration (arts. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 39); (iv) Children belonging to a minority or an indigenous group (art. 30)

CASE STUDY OF SERBIA May Serbia submitted its Initial report, covering the period of 1992 – 2005 In late summer 2007 the Committee invites NGOs to submit an Alternative report – “Shadow report” - Deadline December 2007 December 2007 Shadow reports submitted (Coalition of 16 NGO’s + Children’s Report) February 2008 – Pre-session in Geneva February Committee – List of Questions April 2008 – State Answers May 2008 – Hearings – State Jun 2008 – Committee – Concluding Observations Next Report 2012

USEFULL TOOLS Guidelines for CRC reporting 2006 (CRC Committee) Guidelines for NGO-reporting (NGO group for the CRC) Implementation Handbook (UNICEF) Excisting Concluding Observations Existing Indicators